Newbie: Hi, and Q on understanding Encore Reports

[n9yty]

Hi All!

Well, I'm just starting week number three with my new CPAP treatment. I received a Respironics APAP Auto unit, and the card reader I had ordered from Hong Kong just arrived today. I am looking at the report data generated by the Encore Pro software as well as the EncoreProAnalyzer software. Wow, lots of great numbers there, but are there any pointers about how to analyze and make sense of it, or how to at least evaluate the numbers against some norms?

I'm adjusting to all of the new things that go with CPAP, but I'm determined to hang in there... I have yet to get the detailed report back from my sleep lab (the DME had a copy, but I didn't get one), but verbally I was told that my number of events per hour was averaged at 94 for the first two hours of my sleep study at which point they put me on a machine to calibrate. They also said my O2 levels dipped to 72. So, I'm glad to have the CPAP and hope it changes my life. I still feel tired, but I think (hope it's not placebo affect ) that my mental concentration is getting better.

I hope to learn more here, I've been reading and trying to soak it all in, but I know I'm not going to get it all overnight. Many thanks to all who have shared and help build the great content of this site.

[DreamStalker]

You will want to look at your leak plot first. Ideally it should be a flat line but that does not occur very often so the next best thing is to get it to have a zipper-like pattern and avoid a pattern of peaks and valleys which indicate leaks. The other number are misleading if your leak pattern looks like peaks and valleys so take care of leaks first.

If you have your leaks under control ... next you try and keep AHI (especially AI) near zero. If not, look at your 95% pressure value and target that as you optimal pressure ... for APAP that means setting your min pressure to the 95% value or maybe 1 cm below. If you are not sensitive to mixed or central apneas, you can leave your max wide open or to play it safe set it about 3 or 4 cm above your 95% pressure value.

With EPA you want to look at long-term pressure vs AHI plot and look for a dip or "U" shape pattern ... the bottom of the "U" is your optimal pressure.

Good luck and welcome to the forum.